The Seven Devils – Chapter 32

Once Alfie left Lord Noah Wakefield’s office at the magic research department, she rushed across the courtyard and headed back toward the east wing of the palace. She was walking along the intertwining pathway of the exotic garden when a massive airship floated overhead.

“Wow!” She stared wide-eyed in awe at the sight of the colossal aircraft. Suddenly, she started waving hyperactively, jumping in one place and laughing, hoping to attract the attention of some of the residents traveling in such a beautiful and advanced piece of technology.

Inside this elegant flying machinery, in the luxurious passenger quarters, Lord Victor Rutherford cocked his silver head to one side as he watched the figure waving excitedly up at the ship or, rather, at whoever the little mite could attract the attention of.

Victor chuckled in delight and waved back as his silver eyes zeroed in on the figure, using the lenses’ zooming function. Up close, the youth was a cute thing, with dark hair, gorgeous deep-brown eyes, and sensual lips. Not to mention that face, which was damned pretty, to say the least, and Victor was immediately charmed.

“Who are you waving to?” Lord Ethan Sherwood asked from behind.

Victor said, “Just something that caught my attention.”

Ethan raised a brow. “Oh?” Interested, the lord came over to the window and cast his eyes on the scenery. Below was the massive structure of the palace of Acaedien, with dots of people going about tending to their business.

Ethan said, “I don’t see anything interesting. It’s the same as usual.”

Victor, his eyes still on the youth who was now striding along the pathway directly toward the east wing of the palace, said, “Not everything is the same as usual. Each new day brings new possibilities, Ethan, and I particularly look forward to this one.”

Ethan rolled his eyes. “Every time we visit another kingdom, you return with some weird quotes and newly adopted manners.”

Victor shrugged his broad shoulders. “Can’t be helped. Other cultures fascinate me, and I get influenced by them easily.” He laughed.

“Having known you for over two thousand years,” Ethan said, “yes, I agree with that.”

Once the little mite was out of his sight, Victor finally turned his attention to his friend and said, “We’re about to land. Let’s get ready.”

About twenty minutes later, the airship landed in Acaedien Airport, which was located a short distance behind the perimeter of Acaedien Castle. Once preparation was done, the two lords, along with their ten staff members, disembarked the aircraft and headed toward the palace via elegant horse-drawn carriages.

Geoffrey met them at the main entrance of the castle, and the trio, along with their respective staff numbering fifty in total, immediately headed toward the meeting room on the seventh floor, along with the ministers of the kingdom, to report on what had transpired regarding the treaties between the Acaedien Kingdom and that of Wulin.

By the time the meeting was over, nightfall was upon them. Lords Ethan and Victor, along with Geoffrey, met up with the other four lords for dinner in the dining hall located in the north wing where their quarters were.

As usual, Geoffrey took the seat at the head of the table while to his left side were Noah, Ethan, and Victor. To his right were Felix, Caleb, and Aaron.

Swirling a glass of red wine in his hand, Ethan said to Noah sitting beside him, “You look like shit.”

Noah wasn’t offended by Ethan’s words since the lord was known to be very blunt. Noah released a big yawn as he waved his hand in the air. He said, “I was up all day and night for over two months straight, working.”

“Like usual, eh?” Victor said, chuckling. “I hope you’re not neglecting to look after yourself again. Do you even eat properly?”

Noah said, “I’m fine. I had one of the best meals I’ve ever had this morning.”

In fact, he was still thinking about it, the exotic fried rice made by Alfie. He couldn’t wait to have more, Alfie having promised to cook for him.

While they chatted, a mountain of dishes of luxurious food items were laid on the table, and as the lords had their evening meal, they discussed the nation’s affairs.

It was three hours later when they finished and headed toward the common hot spring to bathe. After they all stripped naked and their bodies were scrubbed clean with heavenly scented magic shower gel, the lords—with their muscular, hunky bodies glistening and dripping wet—got into the hot spring, taking up their favorite spots around the large pool.

Geoffrey was at the back near the cascading waterfall, resting comfortably against a boulder. To the left of the pool was Felix, his large, powerful body relaxing against the side while his head lay back, his eyes closed. Caleb was opposite Felix to the right, doing the exact same thing. Noah and Aaron were next to each other, their heads resting on their arms, their eyes closed. Noah was obviously half asleep, while Aaron was groaning in pain. The youngest lord still hadn’t recovered from the severe beating he had received from Felix and Caleb during the morning battle practice. Victor was sitting a few feet away from Caleb, and beside him was Ethan. They, too, relaxed as they enjoyed the nourishing hot spring.

Victor cocked his head to one side as he eyed the half-dead Aaron with amusement. Chuckling, he said, “Your dark qi is low today, Aaron. What happened?”

Geoffrey said, “It looks like he went through a tough battle practice this morning.”

Aaron released another painful groan. He couldn’t help it. After all, his body was aching something fierce. He was sure if he hadn’t happened to be a demon lord with such immense dark qi, he’d be dead by now.

He said, “Those bastards Felix and Caleb. How cruel of them to gang up on me.”

Felix snorted, running his fingers sexily through his wet hair from the top of the forehead back. He grinned darkly as he said, “It just goes to show you need more practice with your martial arts skills, Aaron.”

Caleb, splashing water against his massive muscular chest adorned with battle scars, nodded in agreement. “You’re severely lacking in that arena. Would you like me to give you a few lessons?”

Aaron lifted his blond head and glared at Caleb and then Felix. “You two are taking it out on me because you’re pissed I’ve had Alfie all to myself for the past few days.”

Felix said, “If you know, then don’t go around sneaking behind other people’s backs next time.”

Aaron snorted. “Ha! You don’t own Alfie. The boy is my best buddy, and spending time together is natural.”

Ethan said, “Why are you men fighting over this Alfie? From what I’ve heard so far, he’s just a human boy, isn’t he?”

Victor said, “Personally, I’m intrigued. I would like to meet this Alfie, too. I want to know why you three are so possessive of him.”

Ethan rolled his eyes. “Don’t get involved, Victor. Seriously, if it was a beautiful woman, then I’d understand. But for God’s sake, this is a human boy.”

Geoffrey chuckled in amusement. “You’re right, Ethan. Alfie is just a human boy.” He cocked his head to one side, and his eyes narrowed dangerously. His voice low and dark, he said, “So be sure not to get involved with him, eh?”

Ethan didn’t miss the meaning behind Geoffrey’s words. Was that a warning from the almighty Geoffrey, the father figure of Acaedien? So he was into this Alfie, too?

By the sound of things, it looked as though these four lords—Felix, Caleb, Aaron, and even Geoffrey—were infatuated with a mere boy with pure qi they had found in the woods. Did that little bastard put a high-level love spell on the lords or something? Seriously!

Noah finally opened his eyes and raised his head. He asked, “Alfie, eh?” He chuckled, sporting a devilish grin on his handsome face. “I met him this morning. Such a loveable boy.”

The words loveable boy caught all the lords’ attention.

Felix and Geoffrey shot him dark looks, while Caleb and Aaron were astounded at Noah’s choice of words.

Ethan rolled his eyes as if to say, Not you, too, while Victor raised a brow and thought, Now I must really meet this lovable boy.

Aaron barked, “What the fucking hell? Where did you meet him? How?”

Caleb asked darkly, “You didn’t do anything weird to him, did you?”

Noah turned around so that he faced everyone in the pool. He proceeded to think about that for a moment, which obviously made the others suspicious.

Felix asked, his eyes narrowed dangerously, “You didn’t attack Alfie, did you, Noah?”

By attack, they knew Felix meant just that—sucking Alfie’s pure qi and kissing the youth—obviously.

Noah felt chills run down his spine at the threatening look in Felix’s and Caleb’s eyes. He said, “Nothing much. I just sort of gave him a few gifts.”

He felt the sinister aura around the two lords subside immediately, and Noah sighed in relief.

Fuck! But those two were damned possessive over Alfie. Just because they had personally found the boy in the woods and became protective of the youth? Or is there something deeper?

Victor raised a brow. “Gifts? Knowing you, there’s always an agenda. Come on. Spit it out, Noah.”

Since the other six lords seemed interested and were currently paying him their undivided attention, Noah said, “My gut instinct tells me Alfie is not who he says he is.”

Aaron asked, “What? You mean like he’s a spy from another country or something?”

Noah shook his head. “No, nothing like that. The boy is too innocent and honest for that sort of shit. What I mean is there’s something that’s blocking me from seeing him for who he is.”

Victor asked, “You mean you can’t determine his real identity with your magic perception?”

Noah nodded. “I gave him the golden pill.”

Geoffrey said, “That pill is top secret and will only be used for military purposes once approved, Noah. What are you trying to gain by giving Alfie that pill?”

Noah began to explain. “The golden pill works by slowly changing the body and strength within a couple of days. In other words, magic enhancement. If we don’t see Alfie changing in physical appearance, then we know for sure that there’s something, a high-level barrier perhaps, blocking my magic perception.”

Caleb asked, “Are you implying Alfie might have a sort of magic protection on him that gives out an illusion?”

Suddenly, it clicked for Noah, and the lord nodded his head excitedly. “That’s right. An illusion protection.”

He thought for a moment, searching the database that was his brain cells to retrieve information about magic illusion protection.

He said, “Illusion protection is mainly used to hide one’s identity and physical appearance. Mostly, it’s cast on spies so as not to gain any attention when they’re working.”

Felix asked, “What does Alfie have to gain by doing such a thing? The boy was lost in the woods and didn’t know what the fuck was going on. You should have seen him that night.”

Caleb nodded. “He was confused and scared. Not many can fake that.”

Felix said, “Aria raided his memories with her magic. The boy is clean. He’s not a spy.”

Noah nodded. “I have no doubt Alfie is clean where his background is concerned.” He sighed deeply because he didn’t know how to explain it clearly to his comrades. “I personally just want to find out who and what, exactly, Alfie is. It’s just the researcher in me.”

Aaron nodded. “I understand what you’re saying. I’ve spent quite a bit of time with Alfie. Sometimes, I feel like I see him, but I don’t see him, even though he’s sitting right there in front of me. Isn’t that weird?”

Victor chuckled. “Well, it’d be interesting to see what happens in a couple days’ time.”

The others nodded their heads in agreement, except for Ethan, who said, “Who cares who or what this little guy is? Seriously, he’s a human boy, and you all wasting time talking about him is irritating.”

Victor chuckled and slapped his friend on the shoulder. “Are you sexually frustrated, Ethan? Because you sound like it. Would you like to visit Butterflies Paradise? I’ll accompany you.”

Ethan growled, “Of course I am, for fuck’s sake! Dealing with the Wulin ministers was tiring as shit, and it has been months since I have had a beautiful woman in my arms.” He flashed his eyes to Felix, then to Caleb, Aaron, Geoffrey, and finally settled on Noah. He said, “I know for a fact that you all are as sexually frustrated as I am.”

Noah said, “Well, of course we are.”

“But work takes precedence,” Geoffrey said, to which Noah nodded furiously in agreement.

Ethan said, “That’s it! You all are coming with me tonight to Butterflies Paradise. No more talking about that little bastard Alfie just because he may look pretty enough to fuck. Tonight, men, you’re going to have fun with some of the most beautiful women in Acaedien.”

Felix said darkly, “Watch what you’re saying, Ethan. No one is touching Alfie except for me.”

Caleb raised his brows. “Claiming the boy as yours already, Felix? That’s a bit rash, isn’t it?”

Aaron said, “Alfie is my best buddy. If anyone were to even dare claim him, I wouldn’t hold my rage back.”

Geoffrey started laughing with amusement, while Ethan looked flabbergasted at the turn of the conversation. Here he was doing his best to lure them away from that little bastard Alfie with the promise of a heavenly paradise full of beautiful women.

Once Geoffrey managed to calm his laughter, he said, “How about we all accompany Ethan to Butterflies Paradise? A change in pace would be nice.”